«Today, in the events that concern Eastern Europe and the Middle East, I realize that I am living a deeper faith, and how important this is». Speaking about her is Wakako Saito, a Japanese native of Nagoya, who by tradition and culture of her country is Buddhist. She is a teacher of “Italian language and culture and human dignity” at the Buddhist University of Aichigakuin. You have been collaborating with the Catholic University of Milan for almost ten years, where you teach “Japanese language and culture”.
In his life he had the opportunity to experience “the endless embrace of the Mystery”, from the moment he met an important Italian Catholic theologian.
A great story of friendship began with him: «It was 1987 – he says – and I was working in the organization of world conferences and exhibitions. One day they asked me to organize an “Italian Week”, where I would have to invite Italian speakers who would talk about something that we didn’t already know in Japan, such as culinary tradition.”
The meeting with Don Giussani
He talks about the difficulty in finding someone who brought something “new”: “I sensed that it would be interesting to invite someone who spoke about Catholicism, given the strong connection with Italy”; one day, one of her Italian friends suggested that she invite Don Luigi Giussani, the founder of Comunione e Liberazione: «He spoke to me as if he were an interesting person. I didn’t even know what “Don” meant, but I sent him a fax to invite him – in those years there was no e-mail as we know it today – convinced that he would never answer me.”
The next day the response arrives from Italy: “I’m coming.”
«I was very happy, but at the same time worried. I was an instrument of the Mystery, only in this way was I able to write that letter.”
The big day arrives: Giussani holds a conference in Nagoya capable of going to the bottom of Wakako’s heart: «The words that Giussani uses are not simple. I understood them through experience.”
On that occasion, which was Giussani’s only trip to Japan, the theologian met some friends of Wakako’s family: «With my father we took him to Mount Koya, where the Buddhist monks live. A strong friendship was established, made not of words (Giussani did not understand Japanese), but of looks.”
After those days the priest invites her to come to Italy; she accepts: «I arrived in Piacenza and took part in a holiday in the mountains. There I realized that Giussani was the “father” of many children who were looking for their life. From that day I lived here for many years – she continues -, I studied at the Cattolica and I was happy.”
He talks to us about his “mission”: «I have always tried to create and advance friendship between Buddhists and Christians. Giussani did not convert me – he explains -, I remain a Buddhist. But without changing my identity, I managed to be her friend, and he was always a guide for me.”
«We all have the same heart»
Wakako continues by explaining that everyone has the same heart and the same desire, regardless of their religion and culture: «Don Giussani had it, as he testified when he came to Japan. Buddhist monks have it: like a butterfly that lands when the flowers open. But it is always a mystery: we don’t know when the butterfly will come and the flowers will open. Despite this, we walk together.”
Finally, a comment on peace: «We Japanese lost the Second World War, and Japan is the only country to have been hit by the atomic bomb. Peace – he explains – does not mean always being with who you like. It is first and foremost attention to yourself. Then you have to try to make friends with the other, the different. The invitation is to get to the bottom of what the Mystery puts before us: only in this way can we be happy, at peace with ourselves, and become friends even with those who are our “enemies”. Many paths open up: in ’87 I had a degree and knew English, but I would never have imagined learning Italian by living and studying in Italy.”
